Mainz were absolutely no match for RB Leipzig as the away side provided a 0-5 demolition in the second week since Bundesliga’s return following lockdown. Julian Nagelsmann’s side was organised within their rotational mayhem, and Leipzig were not only a threat with their flexibility in build-up, but also in transitions.
Embed from Getty Images
Leipzig’s set-up on paper prior to the match looked like it would be (as expected) a 3-5-2. Yet, their system resembled something more on the lines of a 4-2-3-1. But frankly, Leipzig’s system was too flexible to be categorised as one formation.
When attacking, player movements and rotations made it difficult for Mainz defenders to pick up and close down players. There was no point in criticising the Mainz defence too much, as Leipzig’s attacks were that hard to contain.
Dani Olmo and Christopher Nkunku tended to drift inside from out wide, with Konrad Laimer and Marcel Halstenberg pushing forward and keeping the width. This enabled Leipzig to form an overload high up within Mainz’s half, and the flexibility within that overload caused problems for Mainz. And even in deeper phases, the full-backs would push up past the defensive line into midfield, making it hard for Mainz to overload when closing down in midfield, and sometimes a midfielder would drop deeper to offer a option for the centre-backs to pass to.
Laimer and Halstenberg almost took turns making runs ahead. One would sometimes stay back whilst the other attacked, and in one instance, Laimer remained close to the two centre-backs, presumably to offer the additional number in the first phase of build-up, while Halstenberg made an overlap on the left-wing. Offering an out-ball during a good passage of possession for Leipzig, Marcel Sabitzer played a long pass from right to left to meet Halstenberg’s run in behind the Mainz defence.
Another reason Leipzig’s attacks were so effective was Timo Werner’s positioning. Whereas Werner positioning himself ahead of Yussuf Poulsen as Leipzig pressed to regain the ball, the forward would often drop into deeper areas as Leipzig had possession. Being in these deeper positions allowed for Werner to link with other attackers and subsequently have more of the ball than he would if he played as more of a conventional no.9.
Leipzig’s system benefits from multi-functional players, players that can play in an array of positions/areas of the pitch and take up different roles. For example, Werner and Poulsen can both play wide as well as centrally, Halstenberg can play at either centre-back or left-back, making the switches from back three to back four in this system almost seamless and Laimer can play in midfield as well.
Poulsen’s unselfish runs proved a good foil for Werner as perhaps the biggest threat from Werner playing a bit deeper as Leipzig attacked was that he could make late runs, much like Kai Havertz, who’s making a huge impression as a false 9 at Bayer Leverkusen.
And one of those late runs, getting on the end of a cross from Laimer who was keeping the width high up on the right side, was made as Werner scored the opening goal after just 11 minutes. Sabitzer passed to Laimer on the right who did well to get past two players and then play a low cross into space in the box and meeting Werner’s run. Werner then flicked the ball into the bottom right corner to give the away side the lead and ending a fairly long goal drought for Werner.
Werner would continue to combine with those in wide positions, switching the play from deep to players having made runs into vacant space. And Laimer was once again key in the lead-up to a goal, this time supporting an overload on the right, with Sabitzer having drifted right to offer the extra passing option and then after receiving the ball, crossing into the box for Poulsen to header in his fifth goal of the season.
Poulsen nearly added to the scoreboard again with a shot in the box following a pass from Werner on the right-wing who had made a run on the counter which was met by a long ball. But, Poulsen hit wide of the goal.
Nevertheless, Leipzig did eventually score for the third time, and it was a well-worked goal. Firstly, their work-rate to regain possession is fantastic; Leipzig press high and tight, with the attackers closing space down in front of the Mainz defenders quickly to limit the options they have. One pass into a Edimilson Fernandes with no space to turn and release the ball has the ball taken off of them by Sabitzer. Because the ball was won fairly high up the pitch, Leipzig have a fair number of attackers available on the counter in a 5v4 situation. Sabitzer passed to Poulsen on the left who played a pass across the box but it was blocked. A shot from Nkunku was also blocked. The ball was back at Poulsen’s feet and the forward selflessly passed to Sabitzer who rifled the ball into the top left corner.
The second-half began in a similar vain to how the first had ended, and Leipzig rubbed salt into Mainz’s deep wounds. A counter-attack oversaw Werner play a pass into Poulsen, yet the pass was hit too hard. On the edge of the box, the ball was passed to midfielder Kampl who did well 1v1 to get past the marker and then force the ball into the box before playing a one-two with Nkunku who flick the ball back to the on–running Kampl in the box who then cut the ball back to Werner to score his second and Leipzig’s fourth goal of the match.
There was not a great deal of change to either the shape/system, or the tempo of proceedings as the match wore on. And Leipzig’s substitutes were pretty identical; Willi Orban replaced Dayot Upamecano in defence, Tyler Adams replaced Sabitzer in midfield, and Ademola Lookman was brought on for Nkunku.
And after a free-kick was won on the edge of the half-way-line, a ball was quickly played over the top of the defence, meeting a run from Werner who lifted the ball over the on-rushing goalkeeper Florian Muller to earn himself a hattrick, and put Leipzig five ahead. High lines are quite simply a commonality in Bundesliga. A fully deserved victory.
The Conventional Playmaker 